Customizable user interface

ABSTRACT

A device having a display and a user interface incorporating buttons, switches or keys that may be programmable for various functions related to the purpose of the device and its display. The keys may be programmed for virtually any functions available to or on the device. Also, some or all of the keys may be reprogrammed for other or new functions. The device may be programmed by the user with the keys on the device to obtain a custom design having functions assigned to the keys according to a particular design, desire or choice of the user. The keys may be situated on an area having touch sensitive technology such that touching a particular key will call forth a function that is assigned to the key. The keys may be in a touch sensitive area apart from the display or be fully or in partly on a touch sensitive display.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure pertains to displays and particularly to displayshaving a user interface consisting of buttons, keys or the like.

SUMMARY

The disclosure reveals a device that may have a display and a userinterface incorporating buttons, switches or keys that are programmablefor various functions related to the purpose of the device andrespective display. The keys may be programmed for any functionsavailable to or on the device. Also, some or all of the keys may bereprogrammed for other or new functions. The device may be programmed bythe user with the keys on the device to obtain a custom design havingfunctions assigned to the keys according to a particular design, desireor choice of the user. The keys may be situated on an area having touchsensitive technology such that touching a particular key will call fortha function that is assigned to the key by virtue of programming by theuser. A code may be entered to lock the keys to their assigned functionsso that changes made intentionally or unintentionally by an authorizedperson are ineffective. The keys may be in a touch sensitive area apartfrom the display or be fully or in partly on a touch sensitive display.The keys may have labels. Labels on a display portion may beelectronically changeable. Functions to be assigned to designated keysmay be presented by name, symbol or code on the display which may beselected and assigned to the respective keys.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example control or observation device such asa wall module, thermostat or other mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a device having a display and a touch sensitivearea for keys;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example user touch interface area having forkeys a label layer situated on or adhered to the area;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a device having a touch sensitive display withkeys situated on the display;

FIG. 5a is a diagram of columns of electrodes for a capacitive toucharea;

FIG. 5b is a diagram of rows of electrodes for the capacitive toucharea;

FIG. 6 is a diagram columns of electrodes and rows of electrodesoverlapped and proximate with one another;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a perspective view of a fabricated touchsensitive area;

FIGS. 8a, 8b and 8c are diagrams of various examples of configurationsof layouts of buttons or keys that may be overlaid on a touch sensitivearea or display;

FIGS. 9a, 9b and 9c are diagrams of additional configurations of layoutsof buttons or keys that may be overlaid on a touch sensitive area ordisplay; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a schematic of example circuitry that may beutilized at least in part for a customizable user interface.

DESCRIPTION

The present system and approach may incorporate one or more processors,computers, controllers, user interfaces, wireless and/or wireconnections, and/or the like, in an implementation described and/orshown herein.

This description may provide one or more illustrative and specificexamples or ways of implementing the present system and approach. Theremay be numerous other examples or ways of implementing the system andapproach.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) wall modules,thermostats and other devices may be typically implemented with buttonswith fixed functionality, position and response. These buttons may bemechanical with a preset actuation and functionality. This might notnecessarily allow for flexibility and expansion in, for example, HVACsystems.

A sensing area (capacitive in the present example) on a wall module(touchpad like) may result in a possibility of new levels offlexibility. The area may provide a possibility to control wall modulesthrough icons on the display, sensing of discrete finger positions,support gestures, and the like. This system may also be flexible becauseit can allow programmable functionality from the sensing area. Completesensing area may reacts accordingly to the application, situation,implementation, and so forth.

Technologies such as resistive touch layer over a display, a capacitivesensing layer over the display or touchpad solutions in general may beused on the devices. The sensing layer may be used and implemented onthe surface layer of, for example, a wall module. The sensing area maythen be harnessed in a freely programmable way with only changes inapplication programming.

Creating custom user interfaces (wall modules as examples in this case)for each application (lighting, HVAC, security, and so forth) and eachbrand using different design languages may be slow and costly. Thereappears to be a need to create separate button configurations, hardwareimplementations and firmware to accommodate different arrangements. Theterms “button”, “key”, “touch point”, “sub-area”, “switch”,“sub-circuit”, “label” and like words, may be used interchangeably inthe present description.

The present disclosure may solve the issue by allowing the wall moduleor other device with a display and buttons to essentially learn wherethe buttons are by touching them. So rather than designing dedicatednon-flexible user interface solutions, one may start with a genericsolution that is quickly tailored to individual needs. The solutioncould be implemented at design time, at production time, or by endcustomers depending on a system level implementation.

The present device may be implanted with a capacitive sensing grid areaover the user interface surface. The grid overlay may be coupled with acapacitive sense sub-circuit and firmware framework to allow one toquickly move button locations and functions around on the interfacesurface.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example device such as a wall module,thermostat or device 11 often associated with a heating, ventilation andair conditioning system (HVAC). Device 11 may be also associated withsecurity, fire, lighting and other systems. Device 11 may have a display12, and function select buttons 13 and 14. Where appropriate or needed,device 11 may have magnitude or quantity adjustment buttons 15 and 16.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a device 21 having a display 22, and a touchsensitive area 23. Sensitive area 23 may have a capacitive touch layer,a resistive touch layer, or other technology type touch layer. The touchsensing area may be harnessed in a freely programmable way with changesin application programming.

Area 23 may be, for example, be implanted with a capacitive sensinggrid. Area 23 may have a thin layer with labels, such as numbers and/orletters designating various touch regions. The thin layer may bereplaceable with another thin layer or layers having different labels asdesired.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example device 31 incorporating a user touchinterface area 33 having a label layer 34 situated on or adhered to anarea 33. Label layer 34 may have fifteen distinct sub-areas 35 ofsensitivity. However, there may be more or fewer sub-areas than fifteenfor distinct tactile sensitivity of a certain area having respectivelabels. A signal initiated by the certain sub-area being touched may beassigned a function shown on a display 32. The function may be assignedto a selected sub-area 35, by touching a name on display 32 representingthe function shown on the display.

A touch type display 32 may contain virtually all of the buttons andareas desired for scrolling and assigning functions, for selectingtemporary buttons and their labels which may be changed on the display,for permanent buttons, and for other components and actions. These itemsmay be effected electronically and by programming.

An example of operation may be noted; however, there can be variants ofprocedures for operation of device 31. For an illustrative example, a“P” (program) button 36 may be pressed to bring functions up on display32. The functions may be scrolled up or down on display 32 with buttonsor keys 37 and 38, respectively. One of the keys or buttons 41-50,having labels from “1” to “0”, respectively, may be pressed to selectthe key or button to be assigned the function shown at a center ofdisplay 32, as noted by an arrow or other indicator. For instance,button 45 with a label indicating “5” may be pressed for assigning“Function T” to button 45. Button 51 with a label indicating “A” may bepressed to accept Function T as being assigned to button 45 with label“5”. Display 32 may return to a normal operating state for thethermostat, wall module or the like of device 31, after a brief periodof time which may be adjusted with an assignment of a function to a keyhaving a particular label. When device 31 is in a normal operating state(i.e., a non-programming state), button 45 with label “5” may be pressedto go to Function T. Function T may be a temperature setpoint for aspace. The setpoint may be changed or adjusted by pressing up button 37to increase the setpoint or down button 38 to decrease the setpoint. Thetemperature setpoint may be displayed as a separate item by itself, oras a highlighted item on a display 32 showing a number of various itemsat once. Button 52 may have a label “C” which may be used for closing anassignment of a function to a button or closing a specific functionbrought to display 32 after pressing the pertinent button being assignedthe specific button, for instance, in a case of an adjustment ofsetpoint or selection.

A combination of buttons in a program mode after pressing button 36 withthe label “P” may be pressed for a particular function assignment. Forexample, buttons 42, 47 and 49 may be pressed for number 279, accordingto the respective labels “2”, “7” and “9”, for assignment of a functionselected on the display which may be accepted by pressing button 51 withthe label A. To obtain a function assigned to number 279, the buttonsfor labels “2”, “7” and “9” may be sequentially pressed during thenormal operating state to get the function assigned to number 279.

The buttons may be reassigned functions different from the functionspreviously assigned to the buttons. For example, button 45 with label“5” having been assigned “Function T” may be pressed after button 36with label “P” has been pressed, and reassigned another functionselected on display 32, such as “Function H”. Button 51 with label “A”may be pressed to accept the assignment, or after a period of time theassignment, without pressing button 51, may be accepted and display 32can return to a state for normal operation of device 31. Alternatively,if button 51 is not pressed to accept the assignment, display 32 mayafter a period of time return to the state for normal operation withouteffecting the assignment of the selected function to the button 51pressed for assignment of the selected function. The period of time maybe adjusted through selection and assignment of another function to adesignated button. Functions to be assigned to designated buttons may berepresented by, for example, names, labels, symbols, icons or codes onthe display, which may be selected and assigned to the respective keys.A code may be entered to lock the buttons to their assigned functions sothat changes made intentionally or unintentionally are ineffective.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a thermostat, wall module or device 54 having atouch display 55 with buttons 36-38 and 41-52 on touch sensitive surface33 of device 31 being substituted with touch sensitive buttons 56-58 and61-72, respectively, on touch display 55. Device 54 may be operated in asame manner as device 31.

Alternatively, the functions on display 55 may be scrolled with a fingeron the display in lieu of buttons 57 and 58. A function on display 55may be accepted or assigned to a selected button with a tap or doubletap on the function label, name, symbol, icon, code, or the like, ondisplay 55 in lieu of touching button 71 with label “A”. The labels forbuttons 56-58 and 61-72 may be changed electronically via programmingthat may be part of the functionally of device 54. An arrangement,configuration and number of sensitive areas on display 55 may also bechanged. An amount of flexibility available or desired may be designedinto device 54, according to choices and needs of a user or customer.

FIG. 5a is a diagram of columns of electrodes 81 for a capacitive toucharea. FIG. 5b is a diagram of rows of electrodes 82. The columns ofelectrodes and the rows of electrodes may be overlapped proximate toeach other, as shown in a resulting layout 85 of a diagram of FIG. 6,and have a thin dielectric film situated between them to avoidelectrical shorts. A touch on a capacitive area may change thecapacitance between an electrode of a specific row and an electrode of aspecific column. The change of capacitance may be electronicallydetected and a location of the changed capacitance can be determined ina grid fashion by a row number and column number of the electrodes. Forexample, a touch at location 84 may be result in a change of capacitancebetween an electrode 83 at row 3 and an electrode 84 at column 4. Thesubject electrode elements 84 and 83 may be as shown in the electrodelayouts 81 and 82, and resulting layout 85 in the diagrams of FIGS. 5a,5b and 6, respectively. There may be virtually any number of rows andcolumns of electrodes in a touch sensitive area.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a perspective view of a fabricated touchsensitive area 85.

FIGS. 8a, 8b and 8c are diagrams of various examples of configurationsof layouts 91, 92 and 93, respectively, that may be overlaid on a touchsensitive area or display as discussed herein.

FIGS. 9a, 9b and 9c are diagrams of additional configurations of layouts94, 95 and 96 of buttons or keys that may be overlaid on a touchsensitive area or display as discussed herein. Other layouts may havesome of the buttons, keys or the like, on the touch sensitive keyboardand, some on the touch sensitive display. Also, there may be buttonsthat are not touch sensitive situated on the module, thermostat ordevice.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a schematic of example circuitry 98 that may beutilized at least in part for the present customizable user interfacedisclosed herein.

To recap, a customizable user interface may incorporate a processor, asensing area connected to the processor, a display connected to theprocessor, interface circuitry connected to the processor, a sensorsignal input connected to the interface circuitry, and a control signaloutput connected to the interface circuitry. The sensing area mayincorporate a grid of touch sensitive areas. Each touch sensitive areamay be programmed for a function. Each touch sensitive area can bereprogrammed for another function.

A touch sensitive area may incorporate a touch switch. The grid of touchsensitive areas may incorporate a grid of touch switches.

A pressed first button may scroll one or more functions at a time on thedisplay. A second button may assign a function on the display to aselected touch switch. The first button may scroll to another function.The second button may assign the other function to another selectedtouch switch.

The first button may scroll to additional functions. The second buttonmay assign the additional functions to additional selected touchswitches, respectively. A touch switch may be selected by touching thetouch switch.

The first button may be a touch switch pre-assigned for scrollingfunctions on the display. The second button may be a touch switchpre-assigned for assigning a scrolled function to a selected touchswitch.

The grid of touch switches may incorporate an item selected from a groupconsisting of a capacitive sensing layer and a resistive sensing layer.

At least part of the grid of touch switches may be situated on thedisplay. A function on the display may be assigned to a selected switchby touching a name on the display designating the function.

At least part of the grid of touch switches may be situated on a surfaceproximate to the display.

One or more touch switches on the display having functions assigned maybe labeled or relabeled with designations on the display correspondingto the functions assigned.

The customizable interface may be integrated into a wall module for asystem or component selected from a group consisting of HVAC systems,security systems, lighting systems, and fire systems.

An approach for customizing a user interface, may incorporate touching apermanent button on a user interface to scroll to a first symbolrepresenting a function on a display of the user interface, and touchinga temporary button situated over a sensing grid to assign the functionto the temporary button.

The approach may further incorporate touching the permanent button onthe user interface to scroll to a second symbol representing anotherfunction on the display, and touching a second temporary button situatedover the sensing grid to assign the other function on the display of theuser interface to the temporary second button.

The approach may further incorporate touching one or more times thepermanent button on the user interface to scroll to one or moreadditional functions, respectively, on the display, and touching one ormore additional temporary buttons situated on or over the display toassign one or more additional functions of the user interface to the oneor more additional temporary buttons, respectively.

The buttons may be on a touch display. There may be labels on thedisplay associated with the one or more temporary buttons on the displaythat may be changed electronically and/or by programming. Touching ortapping a name or a designation of a function, i.e., a function, on thedisplay may assign the function to a selected temporary button.Scrolling up or down a list of function names or designations, i.e.,functions, may be done with touching the screen.

The user interface may be at least a part of a wall module or acomponent selected from a group consisting of HVAC systems, securitysystems, lighting systems, and fire systems.

The approach may further incorporate touching the permanent button onthe user interface to scroll to another symbol representing a secondfunction on the display of the user interface, and touching thetemporary button situated over the sensing grid to assign a secondfunction in lieu of a previously assigned function to the temporarybutton.

A wall module system may incorporate a wall module, a sensing surfacearea on the wall module, a display on the wall module; a button, in amode for assigning a location on the sensing surface area to a function,for accessing functions of the wall module on the display; and aprocessor connected to the display, the button, and the sensing surfacearea.

Touching the sensing surface area at a particular location may result ina signal to the processor indicating the particular location on thesensing surface area, Touching the sensing surface area at theparticular location, when a certain function is on the display, mayassociate the particular location with the certain function. Touchingthe sensing surface area at the particular location may activate thecertain function during a mode for operation of the wall module.

Touching the sensing surface area at the particular location, whenanother function is on the display, may associate the particularlocation with the other function. Touching the sensing surface at theparticular location may activate the other function during the mode foroperation of the wall module.

The sensing surface area may incorporate a plurality of locations thatcan be associated with various functions of the wall module which areactivated upon a touching of the respective locations of the pluralityof locations. Functions of the respective locations on the sensingsurface area can be changed during the mode for assigning a location onthe sensing surface area to a function. An electronically displayedlabel associated with the location on the sensing surface area may bechanged.

In the present specification, some of the matter may be of ahypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner ortense.

Although the present system and/or approach has been described withrespect to at least one illustrative example, many variations andmodifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreading the specification. It is therefore the intention that theappended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of therelated art to include all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A customizable user interface, comprising: aprocessor; a sensing area connected to the processor; a displayconnected to the processor; interface circuitry connected to theprocessor; a sensor signal input connected to the interface circuitry;and a control signal output connected to the interface circuitry; andwherein the sensing area comprises: a grid of touch sensitive areascomprising a grid of touch switches; and wherein: each touch sensitivearea can be programmed for a function; each touch sensitive area can beindividually and separately reprogrammed for another function, withoutreprogramming any other touch sensitive areas; at least part of the gridof touch switches is situated on the display; and a function namerepresenting a function scrolled with a finger on the display is touchedto assign the function to a selected touch switch.
 2. The interface ofclaim 1, wherein: a pressed first button scrolls one or more functionsat a time on the display; a second button assigns a function on thedisplay to a selected touch switch; the first button scrolls to anotherfunction; and the second button assigns the other function to anotherselected touch switch.
 3. The interface of claim 2, wherein: the firstbutton scrolls to additional functions; and the second button assignsthe additional functions to additional selected touch switches,respectively.
 4. The interface of claim 3, wherein a touch switch isselected by touching the touch switch.
 5. The interface of claim 2,wherein: the first button is a touch switch pre-assigned for scrollingfunctions on the display; and the second button is a touch switchpre-assigned for assigning a scrolled function to a selected touchswitch.
 6. The interface of claim 2, wherein one or more touch switcheshaving functions assigned, can be labeled or relabeled with designationsof the functions assigned.
 7. The interface of claim 1, wherein the gridof touch switches comprises an item selected from a group consisting ofa capacitive sensing layer and a resistive sensing layer.
 8. Theinterface of claim 1, wherein at least part of the grid of touchswitches is situated on a surface proximate to the display.
 9. Theinterface of claim 1, wherein the customizable interface is integratedinto a wall module for a system or component selected from a groupconsisting of HVAC systems, security systems, lighting systems, and firesystems.
 10. A method for customizing a user interface, comprising:touching a permanent button on a user interface to scroll to a firstsymbol representing a first function on a display of the user interface;touching a first temporary button situated over a sensing grid to assignonly the function to only the first temporary button, without assigningau function to any other temporary buttons; after touching the firsttemporary button to assign the function to the first temporary button,then again touching the permanent button on the user interface to scrollto a second symbol representing a second function on the display; andtouching a second temporary button situated over the sensing grid toassign only the second function on the display of the user interface toonly the second temporary button, without assigning any function to anyother temporary buttons.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:touching one or more times the permanent button on the user interface toscroll to one or more additional functions, respectively, on thedisplay; and touching one or more additional temporary buttons situatedover the display to assign the one or more additional functions of theuser interface to the one or more additional temporary buttons,respectively.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user interface isat least a part of a wall module or a component selected from a groupconsisting of HVAC systems, security systems, lighting systems, and firesystems.
 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising: touching thepermanent button on the user interface to scroll to a second symbolrepresenting a second function on the display of the user interface; andtouching the first temporary button situated over the sensing grid toassign the second function in lieu of a previously assigned function tothe first temporary button.
 14. A wall module system comprising: a wallmodule; a sensing surface area on the wall module having a plurality oftouchable locations that can be individually and separately associatedwith various functions of the wall module which are activated upontouching the respective locations of the plurality of locations; adisplay on the wall module; a button, in a mode for assigning a locationon the sensing surface area to a function, for accessing functions ofthe wall module on the display; and a processor connected to thedisplay, the button, and the sensing surface area; and wherein: whereinat least part of the sensing surface area is disposed on the display,the sensing surface area configured to allow scrolling with a finger onthe display; touching the sensing surface area at a first locationresults in a signal to the processor indicating the first location onthe sensing surface area; touching the sensing surface area at the firstlocation, when a first function is on the display, associates the firstlocation with the first function; touching the sensing surface area atthe first location activates the first function during a mode foroperation of the wall module; individual functions of each of theplurality of locations on the sensing surface area can be individuallychanged, without changing functions of any remaining locations, duringthe mode for assigning a location on the sensing surface area to afunction; and a function name representing a function scrolled with afinger on the display is touched to assign the function to a selectedtouchable locations.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein: touching thesensing surface area at the first location, when a second function is onthe display, associates the first location with the second function; andtouching the sensing surface at the first location activates the secondfunction during the mode for operation of the wall module.
 16. Thesystem of claim 14, wherein: an electronically displayed labelassociated with the location on the sensing surface area can be changed.